Luang Prabang has been buzzing with activity over the past week. Despite the rainy season, travelers have descended upon our little town and there’s an energy of excitement in the air. Out on the main street, tuk tuk drivers call hopefully to passers by and restaurants look a little less deserted than they did the week before. On Monday, we launched a new class at Utopia, a 60-minute Vinyasa flow starting at 6pm. Joining the class were a couple of ladies from England and a tour group from G Adventures. It was a cloudy evening, and as expected, the sunset wasn’t spectacular, but the enthusiasm from happy travelers around us created a positive wave of energy that we were able to ride on for the length of the class. Monday’s sessions end after the sun disappears behind the horizon so that yogis awaken from Savasana, final resting posture, to a darkened sky. By this time, the old bridge in the distance is dimly lit and Utopia’s decks are brightened by rope lighting and the flicker of candles. It’s truly uplifting. Come and check it out for yourself!

Early on a Friday morning last week, the clouds hung in the air, thick with the hint of a lingering shower. It’s July in Luang Prabang, and by normal standards, the rainy season should be in full swing. Much to the surprise of locals and travelers alike, it has been unseasonably dry. On this particular Friday however, it looked like the skies might finally open up. On Utopia’s outdoor deck, the air was thick, but the clouds provided shelter from the sun, which rises from across the Nam Khan River, often shining its rays on early morning yogis. Despite the threatening clouds, three people showed up, ready to start off their day right. As we flowed through our Vinyasa sequences, so did tiny little raindrops, which we accepted as Mother Nature’s nectar, cooling and soothing. Whenever the sun could, it poked its rays through gaps in the clouds, nourishing and energizing. The wind swept over our bodies, carrying with it our sweat, cleansing and detoxifying. When nature joins in to complete a yoga practice, you know that you and it are one.